I have had a really busy few days and yesterday afternoon I was feeling quite overwhelmed with my long list of jobs. I must look tired because someone I saw recently messaged me and asked me when my next day off was.
I decided to deal with my overwhelmedness (is that a new word?) by reading the Bible. I turned to Psalm 62 where the writer, David talks about the fact that he felt like a wobbly fence.
A lot of the Psalm is a stress filled rant from David about how he was feeling but then the language changes as he looks to God. David reminded himself that God is like a fortress who he could hide and feel safe within. David chose to focus on the security that he had in God rather than to continue to dwell on the stress that he was feeling. He reminded himself of the importance of connecting with God and waiting for him to speak and to guide.
As David reflected on who God was his perspective was restored to the point where his rant is replaced by an encouragement to the rest of us to trust in God at all times and to pour out our heart to him. (You can read more about Psalm 62 and its similarities to a game of Jenga here).
As I thought about the need to make God our fortress I was reminded of Jesus’ story of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
In his Psalm David was feeling like the person who had built on sand. He felt vulnerable, a lot like the sandcastle in this picture. He had relied on himself and it hadn’t worked but he realized that he could make God his foundation.
David put his security in God or to use the language of Jesus’ story, he hears what God is saying and follows it.
My children like making sand castles but we are all always sad as we watch the tide roll in and wipe out all of their hard work.
Life is often hard and we have probably all felt like this sandcastle?
If you feel like it today, will you turn to God and let him help as you hear what he is saying and follow him?
Honest about my faith 